The Non - League thread

[Royal Rother]

We all do, but I guess the irony of you taking people to task about the standard of non league football, when you watch the rubbish served up by RFC, may have passed you by.

I'm not taking anyone to task. I love non-league but I think there is a limit to the standard anyone can watch, especially given that I have played at levels similar to what you give up your spare time and money to go and watch. Believe me, I get more than enough stick for supporting Reading so I can deal with it. It's clear you wouldn't know anything about that because you aren't a Reading supporter.

Indeed. I don’t claim to be a supporter anymore, just a follower of sorts, but I have no intention of spending money on watching the team.

Non league is so much more enjoyable.

3rd Div Sunday league is more enjoyable tbh.

[Kulshaw72RFC]

Come on Dunston UTS!

Playing Gateshead on tele and the lowest ranked team still in.

[Kulshaw72RFC]

We all do, but I guess the irony of you taking people to task about the standard of non league football, when you watch the rubbish served up by RFC, may have passed you by.

I'm not taking anyone to task. I love non-league but I think there is a limit to the standard anyone can watch, especially given that I have played at levels similar to what you give up your spare time and money to go and watch. Believe me, I get more than enough stick for supporting Reading so I can deal with it. It's clear you wouldn't know anything about that because you aren't a Reading supporter.

Indeed. I don’t claim to be a supporter anymore, just a follower of sorts, but I have no intention of spending money on watching the team.

Non league is so much more enjoyable.

3rd Div Sunday league is more enjoyable tbh.

I agree. 4th Division is worse mind.

[Four Of Clubs]

3rd Div Sunday league is more enjoyable tbh.

I agree. 4th Division is worse mind.

...ang on - I'm not 'avin that - what about the very wonderful 'Borussia Teeth' - think they occasionally break into an ungainly canter round about Solly Joel - when they are at home.

Had their last match at 'Tilehurst Titans' Abandoned - not uncovered why yet - intrigue 'piqued' rather than interest?

(Assuming we are speaking of the R&DSFL of course?)

[Kulshaw72RFC]

3rd Div Sunday league is more enjoyable tbh.

I agree. 4th Division is worse mind.

...ang on - I'm not 'avin that - what about the very wonderful 'Borussia Teeth' - think they occasionally break into an ungainly canter round about Solly Joel - when they are at home.

Had their last match at 'Tilehurst Titans' Abandoned - not uncovered why yet - intrigue 'piqued' rather than interest?

(Assuming we are speaking of the R&DSFL of course?)

My old school friends play for Teeth. One of them, Teeths striker who was in my school class told me on fb that he suffered a double leg break and fractured ankle in a 50/50. Posted a pic of himself in a leg cage on fb.

One team in div 4, calcot, let in 20 goals on their first 2 games

[Royal Rother]

That’s nothing.... My son plays for Datchet in Div 3 of the Thames Valley League.

Last week they played Langley Lions who had won their 1st 3 games 23-0, 7-0 and 4-0!

We drew 2-2 and it was a far better spectacle than any game I’ve seen that Reading have been involved in during the last couple of years.

We all know that the pros are so many miles ahead of rank amateurs, one paced trundlers and 2 stone overweight centre forwards that feature in many Sunday League teams but give me 2 evenly matched teams of low ability trying to win a game of football at 10.30 on a Sunday morning over 2 evenly matched teams in a Championship play off final who are both too scared to try to win the bloody game.

Maybe I’m unusual in this regard but watching football is, for me, all about enjoyment not admiration of what the players can do with a ball, how quickly they can bring it under control, how good their 1st touch is, how fast they can run, how accurately they can pass the ball. Technically gifted players doing sweet fa but looking very comfortable knocking it backwards and forwards across the back 5 or belying their talent and hoofing it in similar style to Sunday league is not enjoyable.

I don’t get why anyone would want to pay £50 and more for an afternoon of boredom and frustration. Once in a while maybe, but not every bloody week.

[Sutekh]

That’s nothing.... My son plays for Datchet in Div 3 of the Thames Valley League.

Last week they played Langley Lions who had won their 1st 3 games 23-0, 7-0 and 4-0!

We drew 2-2 and it was a far better spectacle than any game I’ve seen that Reading have been involved in during the last couple of years.

We all know that the pros are so many miles ahead of rank amateurs, one paced trundlers and 2 stone overweight centre forwards that feature in many Sunday League teams but give me 2 evenly matched teams of low ability trying to win a game of football at 10.30 on a Sunday morning over 2 evenly matched teams in a Championship play off final who are both too scared to try to win the bloody game.

Maybe I’m unusual in this regard but watching football is, for me, all about enjoyment not admiration of what the players can do with a ball, how quickly they can bring it under control, how good their 1st touch is, how fast they can run, how accurately they can pass the ball. Technically gifted players doing sweet fa but looking very comfortable knocking it backwards and forwards across the back 5 or belying their talent and hoofing it in similar style to Sunday league is not enjoyable.

I don’t get why anyone would want to pay £50 and more for an afternoon of boredom and frustration. Once in a while maybe, but not every bloody week.

Agree with that but sort can’t help going along to watch in the vain hope that today’s the day Reading turn the corner. It has to happen some time after all! But then after x years watching them in divisions 3 and 4 with varying degrees of failure it still seems like we’re experiencing the “big time” (well division 2 always was for Reading).

Looking forward to next week though when I can go to an FA Trophy game while Reading perform whatever it is they call that stuff they do in the pitch these days at Swansea.

[tmesis]

I appreciate this could well be old news and mentioned here already, but I'd not realised what a mess the new play-off system is in non-league football

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FpT-9JNWkU

It's particularly bad at step 4, where a low-placed play-off contender could in theory make it to their division's play-off final, knowing they can't be promoted, as all the other finalists have a higher ppg.

Who thought this was a better idea than just having four down at steps 2 & 3?

[Four Of Clubs]

Round up of yesterday's NL scores:

Saturday 20th October

FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round
01 Guiseley 3-0 Stourbridge
02 Warrington 2-2 F.C. Halifax Town
03 Chorley 2-2 Barrow
04 Hartlepool United 0-0 Kidsgrove Athletic
05 A.F.C. Fylde 1-3 Chesterfield
06 Southport 2-1 Ashton United
07 Blyth Spartans 0-1 York City
08 Harrogate Town 0-0 Wrexham
09 Dunston U.T.S. 0-4 Gateshead
10 Stockport County 2-0 Altrincham
11 Marine 1-2 Salford City
12 Witton Albion 1-0 Solihull Moors
13 Alfreton Town 4-0 St. Neots Town
14 Woking 1-0 Welling United
15 Hitchin Town 1-1 Leatherhead replay Wed 24th Oct
16 Chippenham Town 1-1 Maidenhead United replay Tue 23rd Oct - Magpies taken to replay by 94' leveller
17 Eastbourne Borough 1-2 Slough Town
18 Hemel Hempstead Town 1-1 Oxford City replay Tue 23rd Oct
19 Weston super Mare 1-0 Bath City - att over 1,000
20 Boreham Wood 2-2 Dagenham & Redbridge
21 Metropolitan Police 1-0 Havant and Waterloovile
22 Gloucester City 0-1 Bromley
23 Aldershot Town 2-0 Kettering Town
24 Torquay United 4-1 Winchester City
25 Billericay Town 2-2 Taunton Town
26 Eastleigh 0-1 Hampton & Richmond Borough
27 Wealdstone 1-2 Sutton United
28 Ebbsfleet United 4-0 Worthing
29 Maidstone United 2-0 Leyton Orient
30 Haringey Borough 2-1 Poole Town
31 Barnet 4-2 Braintree Town
32 Concord Rangers 0-1 Dover Athletic

NATN
Brackley Town 4-1 Spennymoor Town – Saints go behind but a 2nd half blitz gives them the win and keeps them in the PO spots
NATS
Dartford 2-1 Dulwich Hamlet
East Thurrock United 2-1 Hungerford Town – shattering defeat to fellow strugglers here, pushes the ‘Crusaders’ into the bottom three – were ahead going into added time but had been reduced to 10 men on 85’ – conceded on 90’ & 93’

ILP
Dorking Wanderers 3-0 Wingate & Finchley – DW up to 2nd behind Tonbridge
IL1-SC
Ashford Town (Middx) 3-0 Westfield
Bedfont Sports 1-1 Molesey
Chalfont St Peter 1-0 FC Romania
Cheshunt 0-0 Marlow – Home side stay top as W.Abbey beaten
Chipstead 2-0 Waltham Abbey
Egham Town 3-4 Tooting & Mitcham United
Hanwell Town 3-0 Ware
Hertford Town 0-3 Hayes & Yeading United- H&Y up to 3rd
Northwood 2-2 South Park
Uxbridge 3-2 Bracknell Town – 'Robins' suffer first league defeat and stay in 4th - were 3 down early 2nd half - goals from Grant & Bowerman, a consolation on 90’ - back in action on Tuesday as they host Egham

SLP-C
Banbury United 0-1 Royston Town
SLP-S
Chesham United 1-1 Tiverton Town
Farnborough 0-3 Salisbury
Hartley Wintney 0-0 Kings Langley
Merthyr Town 0-1 Beaconsfield Town
Staines Town 0-3 Basingstoke Town
SL1-C
Aylesbury 1-0 Peterborough Sports
Coleshill Town 0-1 Aylesbury United
North Leigh 2-4 Cambridge City
Thame United 1-3 Kempston Rovers
Welwyn Garden City 2-1 Kidlington
Yaxley 4-3 Didcot Town - 'Diddy' led 0-2 but poor defending allowed the hosts back in to lead 4-2 before a late consolation.
SL1-S
Slimbridge 1-3 Fleet Town – first league win for Fleet – and just below them, previously pointless Barnstaple, registered their first win - a huge 4-1 victory at Paulton Rovers
Thatcham Town 0-1 Street – Street known as the ‘Cobblers’, are another promoted side doing well; this win over the 'Kingfishers' has them step up to 3rd
Yate Town 3-0 Highworth Town – ‘Worthians well beaten at league leaders - were 3 down on 30’
- newly promoted Blackfield & Langley edged past fellow promotees and previously unbeaten Melksham, to move up to 2nd

CCLP
AFC Hayes 4-1 Colliers Wood United – big win lifts Hayes off bottom spot, now occupied by Hanworth Villa
Balham 1-2 Horley Town
Camberley Town 3-1 Southall
CB Hounslow United 6-1 Abbey Rangers
Hanworth Villa 1-3 Sutton Common Rovers
Knaphill 1-2 Banstead Athletic - visitors remain unbeaten and occupy 2nd spot behind Chertsey
Raynes Park Vale 3-2 Spelthorne Sports
Redhill 2-1 Cobham
Walton & Hersham 4-1 Chertsey Town – surprise big reverse for the ‘Curfews’ current leaders; their first defeat at the side 2nd bottom at start of play.
CCL1
Ash United 1-2 AC London
Bagshot 2-2 Kensington Borough
Bedfont & Feltham 1-0 FC Deportivo Galicia
Chessington & Hook United 2-1 Sheerwater
Cove 1-1 Tooting Bec – first point of the season for Cove in their 11th game
Farnham Town 4-1 Epsom & Ewell
Fleet Spurs 4-0 Frimley Green - minor shock here too, as lowly Spurs get their 2nd win - and a big one - this time over local rivals and previously unbeaten contenders, Frimley Gn
Godalming Town 1-1 British Airways
Sandhurst Town 4-2 Eversley & California

HELLP
Holmer Green 1-2 Virginia Water
Lydney Town 2-0 Flackwell Heath
Royal Wootton Bassett Town 1-3 Brackley Town Saints - Saints pull further clear at the top, with Ascot dropping points, B&T and Wantage involved in the Cup
Shrivenham 2-2 Ascot United - poor outcome for the ‘Yellamen’ at the bottom club but they played 60’ with 10 men
HELL1E
Burnham 1-0 Wallingford Town
HELL1W
Pewsey Vale {SEVEN} 7-0 New College Swindon - that’s an aggregate score of 17-0 in Vale’s favour – both matches between the sides played within a fortnight. NCS’s GD now -52 from 8 games - remarkably even after these 'feasts', Vales' is only +2. They were -15 after their first four games.

Hellenic Challenge Cup
Abingdon United 4-1 Tuffley Rovers
Ardley United 3-2 Malmesbury Victoria
Bishops Cleeve 6-2 Kidlington Development
Brimscombe & Thrupp A-A Abingdon Town – worrying tidings from B&T. Visiting ‘Abbots’ only turned up with 7 players and the game was abandoned when they were reduced to 6 – were trailing 7-0. I believe their Chairman resigned midweek too.

Chinnor 1-2 Risborough Rangers Reserves
Clanfield (85) 4-1 Woodley United
Easington Sports 1-3 Wantage Town
Fairford Town 0-2 AFC Aldermaston
Longlevens 3-0 Thatcham Town Development
Thornbury Town 2-4 Binfield - 'Moles' win in Extra Time
Windsor 2-0 Holyport att 105- pretty good for a league Cup tie
Wokingham & Emmbrook 1-0 Reading City att 85

WESSP
Bournemouth 4-1 Tadley Calleva
Cowes Sports 0-3 Alresford Town
Hamworthy United 1-2 Andover New Street - 2nd win for ANS lifts them off the foot of the table
WESS1
Amesbury Town 3-1 Alton
Folland Sports 2-3 Andover Town – like their near neighbours from the division above, Town pick up their 2nd win – still bottom but only a point adrift now of Ringwood who were clattered 0-9 by Eastleigh outfit AFC Stoneham.

Petersfield Town 2-3 East Cowes Victoria
Whitchurch United 0-2 Romsey Town

[Old Man Andrews]

Bracknell suffered their first defeat in the league losing 3-2 away at Uxbridge which was a bit of a surprise. Believe Bracknell were 3-0 down at one point.

[Royality creeps In]

FA Cup Draw includes
Chippenham or Maidenhead v Portsmouth

[Four Of Clubs]

Draw for FA Cup 1st Round Proper just done - highlights -

Haringey Boro v AFC Wimbledon
Torquay v Woking
Sh!ts v Bradford C
Tranmere v Hemel/Oxford C
Sutton Utd v Slough T
Chipp'num/Maidenhead v Portsmarf
Hampton & R v Oldham
Met Police v Newport

.... Matches scheduled for w/e 9-12 Nov - misread the Beeb's newsfeed in my rush to get out last night.

[Kulshaw72RFC]

Draw for FA Cup 1st Round Proper just done - highlights -

Haringey Boro v AFC Wimbledon
Torquay v Woking
Sh!ts v Bradford C
Tranmere v Hemel/Oxford C
Sutton Utd v Slough T
Chipp'num/Maidenhead v Portsmarf
Hampton & R v Oldham
Met Police v Newport

.... Matches scheduled for w/e 9-12 Dec

9999999% in for Maidenhead (if they win)

[Bonzodog]

Draw for FA Cup 1st Round Proper just done - highlights -

Haringey Boro v AFC Wimbledon
Torquay v Woking
Sh!ts v Bradford C
Tranmere v Hemel/Oxford C
Sutton Utd v Slough T
Chipp'num/Maidenhead v Portsmarf
Hampton & R v Oldham
Met Police v Newport

.... Matches scheduled for w/e 9-12 Dec

Think should be 9-12th November

[Old Man Andrews]

Draw for FA Cup 1st Round Proper just done - highlights -

Haringey Boro v AFC Wimbledon
Torquay v Woking
Sh!ts v Bradford C
Tranmere v Hemel/Oxford C
Sutton Utd v Slough T
Chipp'num/Maidenhead v Portsmarf
Hampton & R v Oldham
Met Police v Newport

.... Matches scheduled for w/e 9-12 Dec

Think should be 9-12th November

Yep first round is in November.

Choice of either Reading V Ipswich Town or Maidenhead v Portsmouth.

[Kulshaw72RFC]

Draw for FA Cup 1st Round Proper just done - highlights -

Haringey Boro v AFC Wimbledon
Torquay v Woking
Sh!ts v Bradford C
Tranmere v Hemel/Oxford C
Sutton Utd v Slough T
Chipp'num/Maidenhead v Portsmarf
Hampton & R v Oldham
Met Police v Newport

.... Matches scheduled for w/e 9-12 Dec

Think should be 9-12th November

Yep first round is in November.

Choice of either Reading V Ipswich Town or Maidenhead v Portsmouth.

Choose the latter and we can both go together. Maidenhead has some nice drinking establishments. It can be an open invite?

[LWJ]

Amesbury v Laverstock for me this Saturday.

[Four Of Clubs]

Amesbury v Laverstock for me this Saturday.

...nice one - is down the end of a big public park (Bonnymead) tucked away down some little lanes out to the west of the Town.

- was a very friendly bunch when I went for a Vase game yonks ago. Met up with a local NL notary and club Sec at the time, (Tony Hinchliffe) who somehow knew I was coming that day and had dug out a badge for me - even though he was swamped with match day duties.

... he was 'Mr Amesbury' a lot of these little clubs have one - sadly the fellah passed away a year or so later - expect there will be some memorial up somewhere for him - there was even talk of him leaving some money to the club he had lived and breathed; they were going to try and build a stand in his honour.

- hope the 303 behaves if you need to go that way - we're off to far flung orient for: Lowestoft v Enfield T in the FA Trophy 1st Q.

[LWJ]

Amesbury v Laverstock for me this Saturday.

...nice one - is down the end of a big public park (Bonnymead) tucked away down some little lanes out to the west of the Town.

- was a very friendly bunch when I went for a Vase game yonks ago. Met up with a local NL notary and club Sec at the time, (Tony Hinchliffe) who somehow knew I was coming that day and had dug out a badge for me - even though he was swamped with match day duties.

... he was 'Mr Amesbury' a lot of these little clubs have one - sadly the fellah passed away a year or so later - expect there will be some memorial up somewhere for him - there was even talk of him leaving some money to the club he had lived and breathed; they were going to try and build a stand in his honour.

- hope the 303 behaves if you need to go that way - we're off to far flung orient for: Lowestoft v Enfield T in the FA Trophy 1st Q.

I'm based in Andover so not too far away thankfully.

I'm there on 'business' as I'm on the line but hoping for a reasonable ground.

[mx]

Looks like Dulwich Hamlet are returning to Champions Hill. It'll be a few weeks yet I expect, but the first game back will be a cracker. Hopefully a couple of other Hamlet sympathisers from Winch will be going.

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichha ... Z5lNG5oe5c